Templeton Area Advisory Group
Bylaws
Article I
Name of Organization
Section 1: The name of this organization
shall be the Templeton Area Advisory Group, hereinafter referred to as
TAAG.
Article II
Form of Organization
Section 1: TAAG is an elected Community
Advisory Council (CAC) of volunteers recognized as representing the
unincorporated community of Templeton by the San Luis Obispo County
Board of Supervisors through Resolution 94-144 adopted April 5, 1994
and the criteria set forth for CAC recognition in Resolution 96-485
adopted December 10, 1996.
Article III
Purposes of TAAG
TAAG, in its capacity as a
Community Advisory Council, has as its purposes the
following:
Section 1: To develop and maintain community involvement for furthering
sound planning and development in the Templeton area as
defined by the boundaries of the Templeton Unified School
District.
Section 2: To foster a comprehensive program of development aimed at
providing the maximum of public input and consensus on
planning issues in the Templeton area.
Section 3: To represent community views in matters historically
identified with sound development including, but not
restricted to, land uses, public services, circulation,
public improvements and other aspects of orderly community
growth.
Section 4: To hold public hearings, conduct studies, and make
recommendations to the County Board of Supervisors, County
Planning Commission and other County decision-makers on
matters, issues, projects and programs in the Templeton
area.
Section 5: TAAG findings, reports and recommendations will be transmitted
to the appropriate agency or decision-making body in a
format that is printable and can serve as a permanent
record. The comments will include a statement of the reasons
for support or nonsupport of the matter deliberated upon.
a. TAAG’s approved position must be used as the basis of any
presentation on their behalf.
Article IV
Members/Elections
Section 1: Members on TAAG shall consist of
seven (7) delegates and two (2) alternates whom are registered voters
residing in the unincorporated area as defined by the Templeton
Unified School District.
Section 2: Delegates shall serve a two (2) year term. Alternates shall
serve a one (1) year term. Each new term begins in March.
Section 3: Each new member is expected to attend the Community Advisory
Council training. All members are encouraged to attend for their
continuing education. New members will be provided copies of
Templeton Area Advisory Group Bylaws, Templeton Area Advisory
Group Policy and Procedure Guidelines and copies of the San
Luis Obispo County Community Advisory Council Handbook.
Section 4: All members of TAAG sit at the dais, and participate in
discussion and deliberations.
Section 5: Delegates are the voting members of TAAG and must be present
at a meeting in order to vote. If a delegate is absent from a meeting,
recuses his/her self, or is not participating in any manner in the
discussion and deliberation of an agenda item, the Chairperson shall
appoint the First Alternate present to be seated as a voting member
for that meeting and/or item.
Section 6: Elections for TAAG shall be held on the 1st Thursday in March
each year for the purpose of selecting delegates and alternates as per
TAAG Policy & Procedures Guidelines. Newly elected members will be
seated in March at the regularly scheduled meeting.
Section 7: Any registered voter residing in the unincorporated area
within the Templeton Unified School District shall be entitled to vote
in the election of TAAG members.
Section 8: When a delegate vacates his/her seat, the First alternate
shall be seated as a replacement for the remainder of the vacated
term. The Second alternate becomes the First alternate respectively.
The Second Alternate seat is deemed vacant and open.
Section 9: When there is an open or vacated delegate / alternate seat, if
deemed necessary, TAAG shall make a call for candidates and post it in
local newspapers and newsletters, if possible, and at its next
meeting, appoint, by a 2/3 vote, a replacement for the remainder of
that term.
Section 10: A member who fails to attend three (3) consecutive TAAG
meetings may be considered to have vacated their membership on TAAG.
In such a case, TAAG may, by a 2/3 vote of a superquorum of five (5)
members present, remove said member.
Section 11: Any member of TAAG may be removed for misconduct by a 2/3
vote of the delegates at any meeting wherein the matter is set as an
item on the agenda. A superquorum of five (5) members present is
required for such a vote. Misconduct shall include, but not be limited
to, conviction of a felony, or a deliberate and intentional violation
of TAAG Bylaws or TAAG Policy & Procedures Guidelines as established.
Section 12: Conflict of Interest
a. No member of TAAG shall
participate in discussion or deliberation on a matter before TAAG
wherein he/she knows, or has reason to know, that the making of the
decision will have a reasonably foreseeable material financial effect
on the member or a member of his/her immediate family that is
distinguishable from its effect on the public generally.
b. Any
member of TAAG having a conflict of interest concerning an issue
before TAAG shall declare the nature of their conflict of interest and
recuse themselves, leaving the meeting or moving to sit with the
general public before discussion begins and staying there until the
issue is resolved.
Article V
Officers
Section 1: Officers of TAAG shall consist of
the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Historian.
Section 2: Officers will be selected per TAAG Policy & Procedures
Guidelines.
Section 3: With the exception of the office of Chairperson, any officer
position may, at the discretion of TAAG, be combined
Section 4: The Chairperson shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive
one (1) year terms in that office.
Section 5: When an officer vacates his/her position, a replacement will
be elected by the TAAG Delegates at the next scheduled meeting.
Article VI
Duties of Officers
Section 1: The Chairperson shall have
responsibility for the general conduct of the affairs of the Group.
He/she shall preside over the meetings, set agendas, insure proper
public/media notice of meetings, appoint committees, and sign
documents related to the business of TAAG. He/she (or a designee)
shall represent TAAG at other public meetings. Any member of TAAG
communicating that it is “TAAG’s position or view point” in a formal
public hearing or meeting without prior approval by the Chairperson is
subject to censure. To avoid censure the member must state that it is
“their personal position” on the matter not TAAG’s.
Section 2: The Vice Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson, as needed,
and shall assume the duties of the Chairperson in his/her absence.
Section 3: The Secretary shall take, transcribe and record minutes of all
meetings and prepare correspondence relating to the business of TAAG.
He/she will be responsible for maintaining an accurate record of the
proceedings of all TAAG meetings.
Section 4: The Treasurer shall keep a record of all monies raised and
spent by TAAG and maintain such in a special bank account in the name
of the Templeton Area Advisory Group.
Section 5: The Historian shall maintain a permanent record of all TAAG
activities, including meeting agendas and minutes, correspondences
sent and media releases.
Section 6: In case of the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice
Chairperson, TAAG shall appoint, by a majority vote, one of its
members as Chair, pro-tem.
Article VII
Committees
Section 1: Committees may be appointed by
TAAG as needed to accomplish the goals of TAAG.
Section 2: Committees’ and sub-committees’ purpose is to gather
information and make recommendations to TAAG’s Board of Delegates.
Committees and sub-committees are to present their recommendations in
writing to TAAG at their meetings for a final decision and vote before
communicating a position to the appropriate agency or decision making
authority.
Section 3: Establishment of the committees and membership on the
committees shall be determined by the Chairperson of TAAG or a 2/3
vote of TAAG delegates.
Section 4: The following committee(s) shall be appointed annually:
a. Public Relations Committee – to promote TAAG, maintain its website
and notify the public about TAAG activities.
b. Architectural
Review Committee – to review project referrals from County agencies
and make reports/recommendations to TAAG.
c. Traffic Circulation
Committee – to review matters of general traffic circulation in the
Templeton area and make reports/recommendations to TAAG.
d.
Nomination/Election Committee will be appointed prior to the Election.
Section 5: Meetings of committees shall adhere to the following
guidelines;
a. Meetings shall be held as needed to accomplish the work of the
committee.
b. For purposes of committee meetings, no more than three
(3) TAAG members may participate in a meeting.
c. Members of TAAG who
are non-committee members, or serve as alternate members of said
committee, may attend the committee meeting only as observers. They
shall not participate in the proceedings. This includes sitting in the
area designated for committee members, engaging in discussion and
deliberation, asking questions or voting.
d. There shall be a maximum
of five (5) participants at ARC and Traffic Circulation committee
meetings.
Article VIII
Meetings of the Whole
Section 1: Meetings shall be conducted in
accordance with TAAG Policy & Procedure Guidelines.
Section 2: Regular meetings shall be held on the third Thursday of each
month.
Section 3: Notice shall be posted at public locations stating the time
and place of each meeting and the agenda to be considered.
Section 4: A quorum shall consist of a majority (4) of TAAG delegates.
Section 5: The Chairperson may call a special meeting after proper public
notification. The Chairperson shall call a special meeting at the request of two
(2) or more delegates.
Section 6: Minutes of TAAG meeting shall include a report of major
findings, decisions and progress of any programs discussed at the meeting.
Section 7: All meetings are open to the public. Visitors may bring
matters to the attention of TAAG, express opinions and request action. No action
will be taken on items not on the agenda. Consideration of action items shall be
placed on the next available agenda by a majority vote of the delegates present.
Article IX
General
Section 1: Any disbursements of funds must
be approved by a majority vote of TAAG. Checks will be signed by the
Chairperson and/or the Treasurer.
Section 2: Funds for TAAG functioning will be provided by the San Luis
Obispo County Board of Supervisors, and the public through fundraising
activities and donations.
Section 3: Templeton Area Advisory Group Policy & Procedures are
guidelines to help assist in the effective and efficient completion of
business for TAAG.
a.
TAAG Policy and Procedures Guidelines may be amended or
revised at any time by a majority vote of the TAAG delegates.
Article X
Amendments
Section 1:
Amendments to these bylaws may be made at a scheduled meeting by a
favorable vote of two thirds (2/3) of TAAG delegates present,
providing that the proposed amendment has been previously presented to
TAAG for report, read in full at a previous scheduled meeting and
announced publicly prior to the vote.
Section 2:
This amendment shall remain in place until the March 2010 elections.
The sole purpose of this amendment is to have the current TAAG
Delegates and Alternates remain seated on the board until such time as
the newly amended 2010 election meeting occurs. The board realizes
that their terms will be extended approximately 2 months and the
public is being given notice by this amendment. Once the 2010 election
is certified the purpose of this amendment no longer exits and
therefore may be deleted from the Bylaws at that time.
Amended: 7/15/2005
Amended: 9/21/2005
Revised: 9/20/2007
Amended: 10/16/2008
Amended: 12/18/2009
